The use of mobile-devices such as smart phones, tablets, phablets, and the like, has become common place. Mobile-devices provide users with a wide variety of information, notifications, and communications, all of which is available at a glance by viewing the mobile-device's display screen.
When operating a vehicle, a user frequently choses to remove the mobile-device from his or her pocket or purse and places the mobile device in a cup holder or in some other easily accessible compartment in the vehicle. This allows the user to readily access the mobile-device in the event that the user receives a phone call or needs to review information presented on the display screen of the mobile-device.
When situated in a cup holder or other interior compartment, the mobile-device is untethered and free to move in response to the forces arising from vehicle motion. An unsecured mobile-device may become dislodged from the cup holder or other compartment and may fall into the vehicle foot well or other areas of the interior of the passenger compartment. This is undesirable because it may render the mobile device inaccessible and in some instances, it may damage the mobile-device or possibly cause unintended driver distraction while the user attempts to retrieve the dislodged device.
An earlier attempt to resolve this problem was disclosed in U.S. Publication no. 2014/0339847, submitted by Brunard, et al. (hereinafter, “Brunard”). Brunard describes a holder device in a motor vehicle for a portable electronic apparatus. The device includes a stationary frame secured to a structural element of the vehicle and a drawer connected to the frame. The connection of the drawer to the frame is arranged such that the drawer is movable relative to the frame between a storage position and a usage position. As illustrated in Brunard, the mobile device is secured in an orientation that is orthogonal to the surface in which the frame/drawer is mounted.
This solution gives rise to a significant problem. By orienting the frame, the drawer, and the mobile-device orthogonally to the surface in which it is mounted, the frame and drawer must penetrate deeply into the class B-surface of the interior (the surfaces that are not visible to a vehicle occupant). This arrangement requires a substantial amount of free space beneath the class A-surface (the surface that is visible to a vehicle occupant) to accommodate the frame and drawer and thus may interfere with the placement of other vehicle components and may limit the locations within the interior where Brunard's holder device can be mounted. Additionally, when the drawer is in an extended position, it protrudes substantially into the vehicle interior, potentially obstructing the user's ability to access other components, compartments, or areas within the interior of the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mobile-device retaining assembly that minimally intrudes into the class B surface and that causes no significant obstruction within the passenger compartment. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.